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Superfast internet for Wales

More communities in Wales will get high speed fibre broadband by summer 2015. Superfast broadband is coming to more of us in Wales as BT open another new office in Newtown, Powys.

The programme Superfast Cymru is working with the Welsh Government to see Wales being one of the most connected countries in the world with 96% having access in just two years.

Monmouthshire, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Conwy are among the areas that are set to benefit as a result of today’s announcement which is also earlier than originally anticipated.

Sixty six new locations across ten local authority areas are set to be enabled for high speed fibre, by June 2015.

Once the roll-out is finished in the areas confirmed today, more than 500,000 homes and businesses the length and breadth of Wales will be able to access the technology during summer 2015 which provides speeds many times faster than those available today.

They will join hundreds of communities in Wales which are already live or due to be switched on as part of Superfast Cymru between now and next year.

Superfast Cymru will help the Welsh Government achieve its overall aim of extending fibre broadband to 96 per cent of homes and businesses in Wales by the end of the project in spring 2016.

The announcement of the next stage of Superfast Cymru comes as the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Ken Skates, officially opens BT’s new office in Newtown which is a focal point for the programme’s activity in Mid and North Wales.

The Deputy Minister will meet people working on the ground bringing fast fibre broadband to communities, including apprentices recruited by BT.

Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology Ken Skates said:

“Superfast Cymru is one of the most ambitious programmes of its kind, bringing fast fibre broadband to areas which otherwise would not receive it. I am pleased today to be able to announce the next phase of this programme, which shows how more and more communities are set to benefit.

The sheer scale of the programme means not everyone can receive it at the same time but today’s announcement shows how we are moving ahead toward our goal of providing 96 per cent of premises in Wales with access to superfast broadband.”